Control head for irrigating ditches



Mar. 3, 1925. 1,528,421

s. T. HAYES i CONTROLvHEAD FOR IRRIGATING BITCHES Filed Aue. l, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @im new Mar. 3. 1925. l 1,528,421

s. T. HAYES coNTRoL HEAD FOR IRRIGATING BITCHES Filed Ausf.. 1, 1923 2 sheets-sheet 2 Armar orme.

sari/inni, Tinnen HAYE-s, or Boren, IDAHO.

CONTROL HEAD FOR EBGATING DTCHES.

Application filed August l, 1923. Serial No. 655,002.

To all whom t mp7/ concern.'

Be it known that SAMUEL Tinnen Harris, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boise, in the county of Ada and State of Idaho, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Control Heads for Irrigating Ditches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in control heads for irrigating ditches, and has for its principal object the provision of a device of this kind which embraces the desired qualities of simplicity and durability of construction and ease and efficiency of operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a control head of the kindv specified above, which may be easily and cheaply manufactured and placed into practical use by reason of the fact that the device embraces a minimum number of parts of simple and practical form.

A further object of the invention is to provide a control head embodying a spillway or trough and an improved form of weir by means of which the amount of water allowed to pass through the control head may be accurately controlled.

With the above general objects in view, and others that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a control head constructed in accordance with the present invention, and with the weir removed.

Figure 2 is aI longitudinal sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Figure 1 and with the weir in place.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view looking toward the right of Figure 1.

Figure 4: is a perspective view of one of the wings provided at the intake of the trough or spillway.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the guide cleats for the control gate.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the Weir.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the invention embodies a trough 5 preferably constructed of sheet metal and open at its ends, the bottom wall of this trough being downturned at one end as at G for a purpose which will presently become apparent. T he sides of the trough 5 are braced by means of sheet metal braces 7 connecting the upper end portions of the side walls of the trough as shown in Figures 1 and 2. These braces are preferably of C-shaped cross sections with end extensions directed downwardly and riveted against the outer faces of the side walls of the trough as at 8 so that the flanges of the braces engage the inner surfaces of the side walls of the trough whereby the same are effectively braced against movement toward and away from each other.

Arranged within the intake end of the trough 5 is a vertically sliding control gate 9 having an upwardly extending operating handle 10 iiXed thereto, and this gate has its side edge portions slidably mounted in grooves 11 provided in guide cleats 12 which are fixed against the inner surfaces of the side walls of the trough 5 by riveting or otherwise. A further brace or strap arm may be provided as at 13 fo-r the side walls of the trough at the intake end of the latter, and fasteners 14 may bedriven therethrough into the cleats 12 for assisting in anchoring the latter.

A air of wings 15 are hinged as at 16 to the yside walls of the trough 5 at the intake end of the latter, and these wings are preferably constructed of sheet metal of a height to extend from the upper edges of the side walls of the troughf to the lower edge of the down-turnedportion ti, or below the bottom wall of the trough as shown in Figure 2. These wings are reinforced by means of U-shaped strips 17 fitted onto their upper longitudinal edges, and the inner ends of the Wings are provided with inturned lugs 18 adapted to abut against the downturned portion 6 for limiting the swinging of the wings 15 toward each other to a position wherein the same are in diverging relation, as shown in Figure 1, the remaining inner end portions of the wings above the lugs 18 being outturned as at 19 to engage the inner surfaces of the side walls of the trough atthis time. Obviously, the wings may be separated by hinging the same away from each other if a further divergence. of the wings is found desirable. Also, it is apparent that the lower edges of the wings 15 and the downturned portion 6 may be forced into the ground until the bottom wall of the trough engages the bottom of the ditch byv striking upon the reinforced upper edges of said wings, without mutilation of the latter to any undesirable extent, thereby securely anchoring the control head in position. By means of these diverging wings 15 a flared entrance is provided for the trough 5 so that the water will be effec tively led into the latter, and it is apparent that the amount of water flowing through the trough may be readily regulated by raising and lowering the gate 9. In order to accurately determine the amount of water passing through the trough, the outlet end of the latter is provided with a weir preferably of the form shown in Figures 2 and 6. This Weir is preferably constructed of a piece of sheet metal including a body portion or dam member 20 adapted to assume a vertical position at the outlet end Vof the trough and against the adjacent end edges thereof, as shown in Figure 2, the upper end of said member 2O being cut away as at 21 to leave side portions 22 upon which are placed graduations 23 for indicating the depth of water owing from the trough over the member 20. The dam member 20 has its lower portion 24 and its side portions 25 bent at right angles so that when the portions 25 are telescoped into the outlet end of the trough to lie against ther inner surface of the side walls of the latter and the portion 24 is engaged with the under-surface of the adjacent portion of the bottom wall of the trough, the Weir is effectively retained in place due to the resiliency of thekmate-rial from which it is formed, setting up a frictional engagement between the walls of the weir and the trough. Obviously, however, other means may be provided for positively attaching the weir if found desirable or necessary.

From the forego-ing description it will be seen that I have provided a simple form ofv control head for irrigating ditches which may be constructed of sheet metal with the exception of the guide cleats l2 and handle l0, the parts being capable of manufacture entirely through the use of stamps and dies so that the device constitutes an eflicient construction capable of being placed before the public at a low cost and furnishing a durable and eiicient device for the purposes mentioned above.

Minor changes may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Wvhat I claim as new is:

l. In a control head for irrigating ditches, the combination with a trough having a control gate, of a measuring weir at the outlet end of the trough comprising a body member having its upper end cut away to leave side portions, said side' portions being provided with graduations to indicate the depth of water passing over the body member, and bottom and side members projecting at right angles from said body member and adapted to telescopically engage the under-surface of the bottom of the trough and the side walls of the trough, said weir being formed of resilient metal whereby the bottom and side members of the same frictionally engage the walls of the trough.

2. In a control head for irrigating ditches, a U-shaped trough open at its ends and having its bottom portion downturned at the intake end thereof, and a pair of wingsY hinged to the side walls of the trough at said intake end ofthe latter, said wings being constructed of sheet metal with the inner ends of the same provided with inturned lugs arranged to engage the outer surface of the downturned portion of the trough bottom for limiting the movement of the wings toward each other to a position wherein said wings diverge away from the trough.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature.

SAMUEL TILDON HAYES. 

